Former All Black partners with Queenstown real estate firm

Queenstown-based
real estate firm Locations has scored a coup with the
appointment of former All Black Justin Marshall as the
company’s brand ambassador for the Locations Group.

The
former All Blacks captain, who made 81 appearances and
became the highest-capped scrum half in AB’s history, has
called Queenstown home for the past two years since
relocating from Christchurch following the
earthquakes.

His new role will see him act as a key
spokesperson for Locations, involved in events, conferences
and promotional activity. He will also bring his
considerable network of international and national contacts
to the company, with a view to helping raise Locations’
profile and customer base.

“We’re proud and very
privileged to have this association with Justin,” said
Locations Managing Partner Stacy Coburn. “We’re a
locally owned and operated firm with strong ethics and
principles which align very firmly with
Justin’s.

“Most importantly, Justin is a customer of
ours. We’re working with him on his own property
requirements, which means he perfectly understands the
customer experience. Justin is in the same situation as many
people looking to get into the Queenstown property
market.

With a keen interest in real estate, Mr Marshall
said he was “delighted” to join the Locations team,
describing the agency as the “right type” of business to
be associated with.

“When I think about real estate in
Queenstown, I think Locations,” he said. “They’re the
leading agency in town so when I was approached to consider
this role, it was a no-brainer for me.

“You need to be
confident you’re going down the right path when you form a
relationship like this, but I have absolutely no doubts that
this will be successful.

“I’m originally a Southland
boy from Mataura and Locations has been in Southland and
Central Otago for 30 years, the sort of company people know
and trust.”

Mr Marshall will bring his broad range of
national international connections to the relationship,
built up over the course of his domestic and international
rugby career as well his current commentary role with
SKY.

With offices in Queenstown, Wanaka, Riverton,
Invercargill and Stewart Island, and a total of 50 staff,
Locations is one of Queenstown’s success stories. Mr
Marshall plans to be a regular presence amongst the 14 staff
in the Queenstown office.

“I’ve always believed rugby
is a lot like business. You need to have skills in people
management, leadership, setting goals, team work and
motivation,” he said.

Hot on the heels of a newly-formed
association with global real estate provider Savill’s,
Locations currently has a strong focus on growth and
expansion.

“Justin will be more than just a ‘face’
of our business, he’ll be very much a part of the
operations of the business and will be intrinsic to many
aspects of Locations,” said Mr Coburn.

“He’ll play a
pivotal role in our future growth phase. Our association
with Savill’s gives us access to high profile
opportunities in both residential and commercial sectors and
enables us to market worldwide. Justin is well-known around
the world and will be a great help to broadening our
reach.”

Along with wife Nicolle and three children,
Justin said he had ‘cemented’ himself in Queenstown and
was looking forward to a long-term future in the resort
town.

“I’m confident the move to Queenstown has been
the right one,” he said.

As well as a hands-on approach
to day-to-day general business, Justin will be involved in
many other aspects, including recruitment.

Locations has
recently formed a joint venture with the Open Polytechnic in
promoting the Real Estate Salespersons course, a ‘first’
for this part of the world. Fifteen new recruits will soon
join the Locations Wanaka office after the first successful
course held last month.

“We’ve seen a lot of changes
in the industry over the years,” said Mr Coburn.
“We’re now a highly regulated industry which has meant
some have left and many people are finding it difficult to
enter.

“Locations is all about lifting the calibre and
the number of people entering real estate, and we believe
Justin will help attract a high level of new
recruits.”

Mr Marshall said he couldn’t wait to get
started.

“Rugby’s brought me to where I am today, but
it’s time I had something different to talk to people
about.”

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